The roar of the crowd at Gulfstream Park on Saturday was matched only by the emotion of 27-year-old apprentice jockey Dalila Rivera, who rode her first winner at the Hallandale Beach track. Formerly a tattoo artist in Puerto Rico, Rivera guided 4-year-old gelding Prince David to a thrilling victory, nailing favorite Grand Joker by a head in a five-furlong claiming event.
“I was comfortable at the beginning because the horse was in his own rhythm,” Rivera said. “In the final stretch, I asked him, and he responded beautifully.” Her patience and composure paid off as Prince David crossed the wire in 57.84 seconds over the Tapeta surface, delivering a memorable win for Thimbiyola Racing and trainer Fred Labo.
Since arriving in South Florida last month, Rivera had logged three seconds and a third in 15 previous mounts during the Sunshine Meet, which started Sept. 5. She made her Gulfstream debut at the Royal Palm Meet on Aug. 29, finishing sixth aboard Reign in My Heart.
“This is my favorite track, and I feel extremely good about this victory,” Rivera said, her eyes glistening with excitement. The Puerto Rican graduate of Escuela Vocacional Hipica jockey school turned professional in January at Camarero Racetrack, where she won on her first mount, Lady Frida. Her early success in North America includes wins at Woodbine and Presque Isle Downs, making Saturday’s triumph a continuation of her remarkable ascent.
Prince David’s win was part of a vibrant Saturday card that also highlighted the excitement of Gulfstream’s Rainbow 6 jackpot. Unsolved for a fifth consecutive day, the 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool is expected to reach an estimated $125,000 for Sunday’s 10-race program. The popular multi-race wager spans Races 5–10, with the first race post time at 12:50 p.m.
Among Sunday’s standout contests: the open one-mile allowance for 3-year-olds on the turf, featuring Classic of Course returning from a three-month layoff; the $70,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds in Race 7, with 12 entries including favorite Uncle Aldo and first-time starter Brentwood; and Race 9, a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares, boasting recent winners Super Freaky Girl, Breezey Z, and Royally Blue.
The Sunset Six wager continues Sunday, linking Gulfstream’s final three races with the last three at Santa Anita Park. Meanwhile, Gulfstream alumni made headlines nationally, with graded stakes wins from Locked, R Disaster, Patriot Spirit, Mystik Dan, Tumbarumba, and Gun Song in races from Aqueduct to Churchill Downs.
Dalila Rivera’s first Gulfstream Park victory marks a new chapter for the apprentice rider and sets the stage for an exciting remainder of the Sunshine Meet, which concludes Nov. 23, ahead of the Championship Meet opening Thanksgiving Day.
Read the full Gulfstream Park report on RaceBuzz.
